The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-08-03
MAINE PILGRIMS.
Carloads OF French People Visit the
Shrine Of ste. Anne de Beaupre.
fIewiston Journal.l

tseWlSLon journal
We have noted the fact that two pilgrim
ages have been made this seasJn- from, Maine
to the church Of Ste Ann de Beaupre in 5ann
ada, and that ten car loads Of people have
left Lewiston on excursions to this celebrat-
ed shrine. The object Of the piIgrimages
seems to be little understood outside the
French churches under whose auspices they
have been undertaken.
The church of Ste Ann is situated in a
little village down the st. Lawrence, pleas
ant sail of twenty miles from Quebec. 1t
was formerly an unpretending church, but it
possessed the relics Of Ste. Ann, the mother
of the Virgin, and became noted for wonder
full cures effected ON those who visited it. SO
great was the number of pilgrims that the
walls of the little church could not contain
them, and now an elegant structure appears
In place Of the village chapel.
The 26th day of July is the feast day of
Ste. Anne, and this was the day the last pill
grimage from Maine started. A Noyena in
honor Of the saint had been completed be-
fore starting.
This pilgrimage was hardly the ideal most
people have. formed of such journey. 1t
was made in comfortable cars by special
train, and a few hours brought the party to
Quebec, where steamer shortly conveyed
them to the village Of the noted church.
The cures that have been effected, and Of
which good testimony is offered, are wonder
full. A Catholic, who has visited the church
many times, says 1t is matter Of daily oc-
currence that people go there on crutches,
with painful tread, and leave without aid
and free from pain: Clutches and canes are
always standing where some sufferer has left
them when no longer needed.
He gives the scribe case where woman
In Quebec, was so low that friends were
thinking to administer the sacrament Of ex-
tIeme unction. She was heard to whispers
be moved from the house." was the reply.
Again she whispered: Take me-" The at
tempt was successfully made, and the wom-
an not only rallied, but fully recovered.
A case OF scrofulous swelling Of the knee
had made man helpless for long time.
Our informant saw him hobble away ON his
journey, and with others, his own faith was
almost staggered; but the man had been but
short time before the shrine, when he raised
himself and walked oct Of the church, his
leg completely healed. The crutches thrown
aside in the church have never been needed
since.
A wonderful case reported by the FREUD
from Lisbon in this State, shows the inter-
vention Of the saint at distance. A lad in
jured while cOasting had been treated with
out Improvement, till not only the muscles
were wasted, but the bone had been partially
removed. The celebration Of a Novena to
Ste. AIMS was made the occasion Of effort by
the parents and friends of the boy, when on
the fifth day the lad ran down stairs In the
morning exclaiming, mama my leg is all
we'll"
These and many other wonderful things
are related which have obtained so strong a
hold upon the faith of the Catholic people
that the church of Ste. Ann de Beaupre is
filled with pilgrims at all seasons.
Similar cases are reported of the shrine of
Our Lady OF LOurdes, that gives the name to
the French convent in Lewiston. A repre-
sentation Of the original grotto is in the base
nent OF ST. Joseph's and in it is a beautiful
statue of the Virgin.